The Cariboo Regional District made the announcement today as a result of levels of manganese (Mn) in its drinking water supply.
The CRD said while the quality of the drinking has not changed, the Canadian guideline for drinking water has.
The new maximum acceptable concentration for manganese in drinking water is 0.12 mg/L.
The CRD said historical water test results show the wells in Horse Lake have produced between 0.14 to 0.29 and that these manganese levels vary per well and what time of year the tests were taken.
The new health Canada research has shown drinking water with too much Mn can be a risk to health for infants and young children.
Boiling the water will not lower the manganese level.
Due to this new information, Interior Health recommends people use another source of water, like bottled water, for preparing baby formula for infants and food or drinks for young children.
However, showering and bathing with this water are safe.
The CRD tests each well as part of their Water Quality Monitoring Program and has started upgrading its water infrastructure.
They expect to meet the new guidelines in the near future.
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